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Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye disease among people 60 and older. It is a leading cause of visual impairment and irreversible vision loss in the United States. For Caucasians older than 40, it is the leading cause of legal blindness.

As many as 11 million Americans have some type of AMD, including both the early and later stages of the wet and dry types. This number is expected to double to nearly 22 million by 2050.

AMD causes deterioration of the macula, the central area of the retina. The retina is a paper-thin tissue at the back of the eye where light-sensitive cells send visual signals to the brain. The macula processes sharp, clear, straight-ahead vision. Damage to the macula results in blind spots and blurred or distorted vision. People affected by AMD find many daily activities, such as driving and reading, increasingly difficult.

In this section, you can find out more about the disease and what you can do to manage care for yourself or a loved one.

In Healthy Living, learn how a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a nutritious diet, contributes to your overall well-being.

While any of us may someday have to quit driving due to safety concerns brought on by age, driving may become especially difficult for older person if the normal aging process is exacerbated by a disease, such as Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, or glaucoma.

Friday, Jul 3, 2015

Facts & Data

The first defense against brain and eye disease is knowledge.

By 202040 million

People will have visual impairments from advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

This telephone discussion features Michael B. Gorin, MD, PhD, an ophthalmologist from UCLA who is devoted to research and clinical care of hereditary retinal disorders, especially age-related macular degeneration, retinal dystrophies and other medical retinal conditions.